ECW Campaign Game 1

The English Civil War (ECW) campaign started in Yorkshire as Royalist forces began their recruiting to control the region. They were supported from their adjacent North Midlands base. Parliament had not been as successful recruiting, and when the forces clashed at Sherborn Parish they were outnumbered.

The opening campaign move

Order of battle

Parliamentarian forces:
1 x lobster unit
3 x trotter cavalry units
4 x infantry units (mixed pike and musket)
1 x commanded shot

Royalist forces:
4 x galloper cavalry units
4 x infantry units (mixed pike and musket)
1 x elite pike unit
2 x dragoon units
1 x commanded shot unit
1 x artillery unit

The method for deciding the composition of forces is described in a previous post. Because there is a Royalist controlled region adjacent to the Yorkshire region, they were able to re-roll a single dice roll and improve their chances of a large force.

Starting positions (Royalists in red and Parliament in blue)

Parliamentarian forces took the initiative and moved their trotters forward hoping to disrupt their opposition Royalist cavalry. To begin with they did, but the weight of Royalist numbers and their charge bonus saw them routed after a few turns.

Starting positions

The cavalry engagement begins.

Royalist cavalry charge.

With their left flank threatened the Parliamentarian commander moved his lobster unit held in reserve to counter the Royalist threat. The Royalist cavalry attack was nullified, but at the cost of the remaining Parliamentarian reserves. The Parliamentarian left flank was now open and Royalist dragoons moved forward along with their centre. The Parliamentarian commander saw his army's situation was untenable and retired.

Parliamentarian forces move to counter the threat to their flank

Parliamentarian forces with an exposed flank and outnumbered retire and victory goes to Royalist forces

The flow of the game

The victory gave control of Yorkshire to the Royalist cause. While further south Parliament seeks to control East Anglia and where the next battle will be fought.

Campaign situation